Vehicle wheel



Aug. 6, 1935. c. G. KELLER VEHICIJE WHEEL Filed July 28, 1932 2Sheets-Shem 1 INVENTOR Cfiaflesalieller ATTORNEYS Aug. 6, 1935;

c. G. KELLER VEHICLE WHEEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 28, 1952 INVENTORChar/es Giffeller v BY v I ATTORNEY5 Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFIQE VEHICLE WHEEL Charles G. Keller, Hyde Park, N. Y. 7

Application .luly 28, 1932, Serial No. 625, 35

3 Claims.

This invention relates to vehicle wheels, and more particularly to themeans employed for detachably securing a single rim in place. The invention is particularly applicable to a fellyless type of wheel in whichthe rim is secured to the ends of the separate but integral metalspokes.

The body portion of a wheel of this character is usually formed of castmetal, and the rim is secured by means of clamping bolts. To insureagainst liability of the rim creeping or slipping, and to force the riminto a plane at right angles to the axis of the wheel, it is oftennecessary to exert a great deal of force 7 in tightening the clampingbolts. The use of such force, particularly after the parts have becomecoated with sand or dirt, and have slightly rusted, often results instripping the threads, thereby rendering the securing means no longereffective.

are formedin parts which may be readily removed.

and replaced in case the threads become unduly worn or stripped. I

A further object is to provide an adequate and effective length ofthreaded engagement of the parts without increasing the thickness of thecast metal spoke itself, or to have parts projecting to, the outsidethat cause the overall width of the vehicle to be increased, sometimesbeyond the legal limit.

A further object is to provide for misalignment of" parts, that is, toallow the parts to shift out of their regular positions to accommodatethe fitting of. clamping lugs without setting up bending stresses.

A further object is to provide a construction that avoids the necessityof machining the wheel, body or spoke end for this clamping device.

A further object is to reduce to" a minimum the number of parts whichmust be removed to permit removal and replacement of a rim.

In carrying out my invention I provide as one important feature aclamping lug which is permanently secured to the clamping bolt, andprovide the spoke with a nut which is effectively held in place andprevented from rotating.

In the accompanying drawings there is illustrated merely one embodimentof my invention. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of the outboard side of a portion of a wheel embodyingmy invention, the rim being shown in dot and dash lines.

Fig. 2 is a radial longitudinal section on the line 2-4 of Fig. l, buton a lar er scale.

Fig. 3 is a face view of the outboard side of the end portion of thespoke, taken for instance on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the inboard side of the part shown in Fig.3, taken for instance on 5 the line 4-5 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a face view of the inboard side of the clamping lug, taken forinstance on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

In the construction illustrated the Wheel body I0 is provided with aplurality of hollow spokes H which are preferably substantially U-shapein cross-section, and preferably provided with transverse walls l2 onthe radially outer ends. These transverse end walls are provided withinclined seats l3 to engage and support the beveled portion of astandard rim [4.

In carrying out my invention the wall of the spoke at the outboard sideand adjacent to the radially outer end, is provided with an aperture 15through which extends the shank I6 of a nut I'I, housed within thespoke. This nut is of suflicient thickness to provide an adequate lengthof threaded section within the bore. The shank I6 is preferably slightlysmaller than the aperture I5, and the outboard end thereof is headed orspun over to substantially engage the outboard surface of the spoke butleave slight clearance, to thereby hold the nut loosely so as to enableit to rock into a position that aligns the nut with the cap screw as itis being tightened up.

Adjacent to but spaced from the aperture 15 the spoke has formedintegral therewith one or more lugs l8, so positioned that they engagewith corresponding flat sides of the nut and prevent its rotation. Theselugs may in some cases be made of sufiicient length to permit them to bebent over slightly at their outer ends into engagement with the inboardend of the nut so as to hold the latter against endwise movement, butthis is not essential if the shank l6 be beaded over at the outboardend, as above described.

The end wall 12 of the spoke may have a lug portion [9 in the form-of aridge or flange on the radially inner side thereof and disposed closelyadjacent to but slightly spaced from the radially outer side of the nut.As shown, there are two of the lugs l8, and these are so spaced inrespect to the lug I9 as to lie parallel to. and approximately engagealternate sides of the hex nut I'I, so as to effectively prevent itsrotation.

The rimclamping member is in the form of a lug 20 adapted to engage theoutboard side of the spoke, and the outboard side of the rim, 55

and to be forced toward the spoke to thereby force the rim into positionon its seat It. This clamping member or lug 28 is shown as ofapproximately triangular form, and may be shaped on its inboard side soas to form three corner sections, 2i, 22 and 23. The radially inwardlydisposed corner section 23 may engage with a seat 24 on the outboardside of the spoke, while the radially outwardly disposed corner sections2! and 22 engage the rim.

The lug 2B is adapted to be forced into place by a screw bolt having athreaded body portion 28 and an outer head 21. The bolt is of slightlyreduced diameter adjacent to the head, so as to form a shoulder 28, andthe threads preferably terminate a slight distance from this shoulder soas to form a continuous annular flange. The lug 2 3 has an aperturetherethrough to receive the bolt, and on its outboard side the aperturemay be slightly concave and the adjacent surface of the bolt head may beslightly convex with the same curvature, so that the head will seatagainst the lug 26 even though the two be angularly displaced to aslight extent. The aperture through the lug Ed is of sufficient size topermit the free movement of the body of the bolt therethrough, but uponthe inboard side the lug 2% is provided with a plurality of flanges 25which may be bent inwardly in the rear of the shoulder is, after thebolt has been projected through the aperture of the lug 29 to thelimiting extent. By bending these flanges in behind the shoulder 28, thebolt and clamping lug 2%) are permanently connected but are relativelyrotatable, and a slight amount if endwise st motion is permitted.

The clamping lug 2D is slightly concave upon its inboard side so as tohouse the flanges 29, while the edges of the clamping lug may directlyengage the seats 2t and if the parts be so designed and proportioned asto permit the rim to be distorted from true circular form, and given apredetermined draw on the seats l3. With the clamping lug in engagementwith these seats 24- and 25, the mounting of the rim in a plane at rightangles to the axis of the wheel is insured.

In removing a rim it is merely necessary to remove the screw bolts, aseach bolt carries its corresponding clamping lug. The nuts cannot bedisplaced in an inboard direction, due to the beading over of the shanksit, and when drawn in an outboard direction during the tightening of theclamping bolts, they have a firm seat against the inboard side of thewall of the spoke.

The bore through each nut is preferably slightly enlarged at theoutboard end to facilitate guiding the bolt into the nut, and the properand quick engagement of the threads. Due to the slight lost motionpermitted for the nut the bolt may tilt slightly during tightening and ahigh degree of accuracy in the machining of the parts is not necessary.

In case a nut should become broken or its threads mutilated, the beadingon the comparatively thin outer end wall of the shank. may be readilycut of? or bent inwardly to permit removal of the nut, and uponinserting a new nut the end of the shank may be easily hammered over toeiiectively retain th nut and prevent its displacement when the boltsand clamping lugs are removed.

To prevent creeping of the rim, one or more of the spokes may beprovided with a laterally extending projection 36, which may engage aflange or shoulder on the radially inward side of the rim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fellyless wheel body including a hollow cast metal spokesubstantially U-shape in crosssection, and having a transverse wallextending on the radially outer end thereof, said transverse wall havingan integral inclined seat near the outboard end thereof for directlyengaging and supporting a rim, a polygonal nut housed within said spokeadjacent to the radially outer end and having a shank portion extendingthrough said spoke to the outboard side, and loosely mounted in saidspoke to permit said nut to be tilted but prevented from endwisemovement, lugs integral with said spoke on the inboard side and engagingsaid nut for preventing the rotation of the latter, a rim clamping lugat the outboard side of said spoke, a clamping bolt extending throughsaid rim clamping lug and threaded into said nut, and means connectingrim clamping lug and said bolt to pr ent separation to permit relativelimited tilting movement.

2. A fellyiess wheel body including a metal spoke having an aperturetherethrough adjacent to the radially outer end, a nut on the inboardside of said spoke and having a shank portion extending through saidaperture to the outboard side, said nut being loosely mounted in saidspoke to permit said nut to be tilted in any direction withinpredetermined limits, means on the inbcard side of said spoke forpreventing rotation of said nut, a rim clamping lug at the outboard sideof said spoke and having an aperture therethrough, a clampin boltextending through said latter aperture, threaded into said nut, andhaving a head slightly convex on its inboard side, the outboard end ofsaid latter aperture being slightly concave and of a curvaturecorresponding substantially to the curvature of the inboard side of thebolt head, whereby said head will firmly seat against the clamping lug,and means connecting said rim clamping lug and said bolt to preventseparation and to permit limited relative tilting movement.

3. A fellyless wheel body including a metal spoke having an aperturetherethrough adjacent to the radially outer end, a nut on the inboardside of said spoke and having a shank portion extending loosely throughsaid aperture and beaded over at the outboard side to normally preventremoval of the nut from the aperture but permit limited tiltingmovement, a rim clamping lug engaging the outboard side of said spokeand having an aperture therethrough, and a clamping bolt extendingthrough the aperture in said lug and threaded into said nut, said bolthaving a polygonal head at the outboard end thereof engaging theoutboard side of said rim clamping lug and being of slightly reduceddiameter adjacent to said head so as to form a shoulder disposed at theinboard side of said lug and facing toward said head, said lug on theinboard side thereof being provided with flanges engaging said shoulderto limit axial movement between said lug and said bolt and to preventseparation thereof but permit limited angular movement of said bolt andsaid lug, and said lug being slightly concave upon its inboard side tohouse said flanges and said shoulder.

CHARLES G. KELLER.

